Ice skate blade sharpening machine

ABSTRACT

A ice skate blade sharpening machine comprises a skate holder which holds the blade in a releasably fixed position, a rotatable grinding wheel having a periphery and rotatable about a grinding wheel axis, and a contouring tool having a contour surface, moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein in the engaged position the contouring tool is held in place with respect to the grinding wheel axis, the contour surface engages the rotating grinding wheel and grinds the periphery of the grinding wheel to define a grinding wheel contour, and wherein the grinding wheel contour grinds the blade to define a profile when the grinding wheel is rotating and the blade is held in the releasably fixed position.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 60/928,322, filed on May 10, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in ice skate blade sharpeningmachines, and more particularly, to ice skate blade sharpening machineswhich can create a wide variety of profiles on ice skate blades.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In winter sports such as ice skating and hockey the blades of an iceskate are the point of contact for all of the forces generated in turns,spins, jumps, etc. Ice skates typically have a convex shape along alength of the skate blade and a concave shape across the width of theblade, defining two edges along the length of the blade. A skater canuse either of these two edges in executing maneuvers on the ice surface.In order to maintain a desired blade configuration, a skate sharpeningmachine must be configured to create a groove along the length of theblade such that the two edges are of equal height.

As skate blades differ from one pair to another, the sharpening of theskate blade to a required profile has long been considered to be partart and part science. The operator of a skate sharpening machine isrequired to first dress a grinding wheel to have the desired contour andthen ensure that during the grinding process the centerline of thecontour on a wheel coincides with the centerline of the blade along itsfull length. If this is not done an irregular groove will be createdalong the length of the blade, with one edge being higher/lower than theother.

The dressing of the skate sharpening grinding wheel is traditionallycarried out using a single point diamond dresser that is pivoted aboutan axis generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the grindingwheel. The single point diamond dresser is slowly swung through an arcthat intersects the outer periphery of the grinding wheel, removingmaterial from the wheel to create and define a grinding wheel contour.Since the dresser pivots, the contour formed on the grinding wheel is aconvex arcuate surface with a radius typically in the range of ⅜ inch to1⅝ inch. Generally speaking several passes are required to achieve asurface with the desired quality. Once the grinding wheel contour hasbeen created, it may be used to create a complementary concave surfaceon the skate blade.

It would be desirable to provide an ice skate blade sharpening machinethat uses a contouring tool which can create one of many differentshaped contours on the grinding wheel, such that a desired contour maybe ground into the skate blade during the sharpening process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect, an ice skate sharpening machinecomprises a skate holder which holds the blade in a releasably fixedposition, a rotatable grinding wheel having a periphery and rotatableabout a grinding wheel axis, and a contouring tool having a contoursurface, moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position,wherein in the engaged position the contouring tool is held in placewith respect to the grinding wheel axis, the contour surface engages therotating grinding wheel and grinds the periphery of the grinding wheelto define a grinding wheel contour, and wherein the grinding wheelcontour grinds the blade to define a profile when the grinding wheel isrotating and the blade is held in the releasably fixed position.

From the foregoing disclosure and the following more detaileddescription of various preferred embodiments it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the present invention provides asignificant advance in the technology of ice skate sharpening machines.Particularly significant in this regard is the potential the inventionaffords for providing a high quality, low cost ice skate bladesharpening machine capable of generating a wide range of profiles on anice skate blade. Additional features and advantages of various preferredembodiments will be better understood in view of the detaileddescription provided below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an ice skate blade sharpening machine inaccordance with a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an isolated isometric view of a fixed contouring tool in closeproximity to a grinding wheel during a dressing operation.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a skate blade in close proximity to thegrinding wheel during the skate sharpening process.

FIG. 4 shows several preferred styles of fixed contouring tools for usein dressing grinding wheels.

FIG. 5 shows an indexable disc fixed contouring tool in close proximityto the grinding wheel.

FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the rotating contouring toolshowing the contour and the ball bearing assembly.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view showing a rotating contouring tool mountedon a skate blade sharpening machine. The rotating contouring tool ismounted on a spindle in such a manner as to allow easy interchange ofrotating contouring tools.

FIG. 8 is an exploded isometric view the mounting of the rotatingcontouring tool on the spindle.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view showing the rotating contouring tool mountedon the pivoting arm so that it can be forced into the grinding wheel.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarilyto scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of variouspreferred features illustrative of the basic principles of theinvention. The specific design features of the ice skate bladesharpening machine as disclosed here, including, for example, thespecific dimensions of the contouring tool, will be determined in partby the particular intended application and use environment. Certainfeatures of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distortedrelative to others to enhance visualization and clear understanding. Inparticular, thin features may be thickened, for example, for clarity ofillustration. All references to direction and position, unless otherwiseindicated, refer to the orientation illustrated in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, to those whohave knowledge or experience in this area of technology, that many usesand design variations are possible for the improved ice skate bladesharpening machine disclosed here. The following detailed discussion ofvarious alternative and preferred features and embodiments willillustrate the general principles of the invention with reference to anice skate blade sharpening machine particularly suitable for ice skatesused for playing winter sports such as hockey and figure skating. Otherembodiments suitable for other applications will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an ice skate blade sharpeningmachine 99 in accordance with a preferred embodiment. The bladesharpening machine 99 comprises a working surface 100, a motor in avertical housing 101, a grinding wheel 102 rotated by the motor, acontouring tool 103, a pivot arm mechanism 104, and a skate holder 105.Also shown is a skate blade 106 to be sharpened.

FIG. 2 shows the grinding wheel 102 having a periphery 201 which is asof yet unground into a desired profile. Forming such a profile is a twostep process. First the contouring tool 103 dresses and shapes thegrinding wheel 102 to define a grinding wheel contour 303 (shown in FIG.3) by use of grinding the periphery 201 of the grinding wheel 102against the contour surface 202. Typically this occurs by rotating thegrinding wheel about a grinding wheel axis 98 while the contour surfaceengages the grinding wheel. Second, rotation of the grinding wheel 102about axis 98 allows the grinding wheel contour 303 to engage and grindthe ice skate blade 106 to form an ice skate blade profile 107. The iceskate blade profile 107 is typically the same shape as the contoursurface 202, and opposite or a mirror image the grinding wheel contour303. Thus, if the contour surface is convex, the grinding wheel contouris concave and the blade profile is convex.

In sharpening the blade of a skate it is important that a centerline 116of the skate blade 106 be aligned with a centerline 112 of the contour303 of the grinding wheel 102 as the blade is moved by movement of theskate holder 105 during the blade sharpening process. See FIG. 3.Adjustment and proper alignment of the skate blade 106 with respect tothe grinding wheel 102 is accomplished in part by three adjusting screws108 located on the skate blade holder 105 (shown in FIG. 1).

The contouring tool is mounted on an adjustment device, here a pivot arm104 which is movable about a pivot arm axis 97 between an engagedposition where the contour surface 202 engages the grinding wheel and adisengaged position where the contour surface 202 does not engage thegrinding wheel. As shown here, the pivot arm axis 97 is generallyparallel to the grinding wheel axis 98. The pivot arm allows for easyremoval of one contouring tool and replacement with another. Otheradjustment devices for moving the contour surface into and out ofengagement with the grinding wheel are discussed below.

In accordance with a highly advantageous feature, the contour surfacedescribed herein may have any of a variety of cross sections instead ofbeing limited to the convex arcuate profile of known blade sharpeningdevices. This makes it possible for skaters to experiment and find agiven profile that gives them better performance in skating thancurrently used profiles. FIG. 4 shows several examples of contouringtools, each with a different contour surface. Bar style contouring tool400 has a contouring surface 401 formed as a pair of generally linearsurfaces. Alternatively a disc style contouring tool may be used. Discstyle contouring tools can be advantageous in that they can be turned,thereby exposing a fresh surface area of the disc to the grinding wheeland providing for a longer life of the tool. Disc style contouring tool402 is provided with a concave contour surface, or, as in contoursurface 403 the shape of contour surface may be constantly changing. Forexample, the convex arcuate cross section may be a variable radius suchas, for example, from ⅜″ to 1″ extending continuously around the disc.Bar style contouring tool 404 may be formed with a double concavecontour surface 405, with curved surfaces along both the width W andlength L of the contour surface. Each of these surfaces may be thoughtof as concave in the broad sense that the edges (such as edges 411 and412) cut deeper into the grinding wheel than does the middle (such asmiddle 413) of the contour surface 401. The second radius on the doubleconcave contour surface can provide better conformity between the fixedcontouring tool and the grinding wheel and can provide longer fixedcontouring tool life because of a larger contact area. Preferably thewidth w of the contour surface is at least equal to the width 422 of thegrinding wheel contour 303, allowing for complete contact of thegrinding wheel contour without moving the contour tool with respect tothe grinding wheel axis of rotation.

The contouring tool 103 may advantageously be manufactured to variousdimensions and geometries to cover a spectrum of profiles normally usedby skate sharpeners. For example, when the desired profile 107 on theblade 106 is concave and has a radii, the profile dimensions may be of:¼, ⅜, ½, ⅝, ¾, ⅞, 1, 1⅛, 1¼, 1⅜, 1½, and 1⅝ (inches). Other combinationsof contouring tool shapes and contour surfaces, such as parabolic andelliptical shapes, or non-concave shapes such as flat bottomed ormulti-groove, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art giventhe benefit of this disclosure.

Advantageously, the contouring tools disclosed here can be readilyinterchangeable and allow for rapid switching from one radius to anotheras sharpening goes from one set of skates to another. Changing acontouring tool can be done much quicker than the time required toredress a grinding wheel to a different radius using the traditionalsingle point diamond dresser. In accordance with another highlyadvantageous feature, a contouring tool may be indexable as shown in thepreferred embodiment of FIG. 5. Contouring tool 501 comprises anindexable disc that has several different contours around its edge.Marks or indicators 406 may be provided to indicate to a user whatcontour surface options are available. Preferably while disengaged fromthe grinding wheel, the contouring tool can be rotated or indexed to oneof several different positions, with each position having a separatecontour surface. As shown, the contouring tool is perpendicular to thegrinding wheel axis. Preferably the contouring tool would be held inposition with respect to the grinding wheel axis while in the engagedposition.

Contouring tools 103 disclosed here are preferably coated with anabrasive material that is harder than material which forms the grindingwheel 102. In turn, the grinding wheel material is preferably harderthan the material that forms the ice skate blades 106. A preferredabrasive coating suitable for use on the contouring tool here is diamonddust, chips or grit in a plated metallic surface coating such aselectroplated nickel.

FIG. 6 shows another preferred embodiment of a rotating contouring tool,sometimes referred to as a crush roll contouring tool 704. Contouringtool 704 has a contour surface 601, a bearing assembly 603 and retainingring 602. FIG. 7 shows the crush roll contouring tool 704 rotatablymounted about axis 96 on a skate sharpening machine. The tool 704 ismounted on a vertical spindle that is attached to a metal plate, 709.This metal plate is attached to a linear ball slide table 702 whichrides on a ball slide rail 703, allowing the tool to be adjusted towardsand away from the axis of rotation 98 of the grinding wheel 102. Theball slide rail 703 is firmly affixed to a bracket 701 that provides arigid link to a skate sharpening machine spindle housing 714. This rigidlink is used to absorb the force generated when the crush rollcontouring tool 704 is forced into the engagement position, i.e., intocontact with the grinding wheel 102 through the action of the lead screw706 on the heavy metal plate 709. The rotation of the lead screw 706 isaccomplished by turning the adjusting knob 713, which is linked to thelead screw 706 through a timing belt drive system. Also shown in FIG. 7is a guard 711 and a dust collection port 712. Easy interchange of thecrush roll contouring tool 704 is helped by the use of ball plunger 801located in the retainer 705. The retainer provides for positive verticallocation of the crush roll contouring tool 704 with respect to the heavymetal plate 709 during operation. The heavy metal plate 709 is designedto be sufficiently massive so that it can resist vibrational loading ofthe grinding wheel and the crush roll contouring tool. When in theengaged position, the contouring tool rotates against the grinding wheelabout its axis 96 and is held in place with respect to the grindingwheel axis 98.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the retainer 705, spindle 803,contouring tool 704 and heavy metal plate 709. The retainer 705 istypically held in place by a ball plunger 801 that locates in a groove802 in the spindle 803. Once the retainer 705 is lifted off the spindle803 the crush roll contouring tool 704 can be easily removed andreplaced with a different tool.

FIG. 9 shows an alternative preferred embodiment of an ice skate bladesharpening machine. This embodiment is advantageous in terms of itscompactness and is therefore desirable for use in portable or smallerice skate blade sharpening machines. The crush roll contouring tool 908is mounted on a screw that serves as the spindle 907 and is screwed ontoa pivot arm 901. This pivot arm is anchored to a mounting plate thatalso is attached to the motor housing 101 via a shoulder screw 902.Since the shoulder screw 902 is oriented with its axis parallel to theaxis of the grinding wheel, the movement of the crush roll contouringtool 908 is in the same plane as the plane of the grinding wheel 102.Movement of the pivot arm 901 is accomplished by turning knob 906 whichturns lead screw 904 in the threaded barrel pin 903, pushing the pivotarm 901 forward. The force required to push the pivot arm 901 forward isabsorbed by the pivot block 905. This allows for the rotation created bythe movement of the pivot arm 901. Preferably the pivot arm 901 isheavy, as its inertia helps damp out vibrations between the grindingwheel 102 and the crush roll contouring tool 908.

It will be understood here by those skilled in the art that thecontouring tool is held in place with respect to the grinding wheel axisin the sense although there may be some vibrational movement as thecontouring tool engages the grinding wheel periphery, the contouringtool is staying in the same plane with respect to the grinding wheelaxis while in the engaged position. In the preferred embodiments shownin the drawings, contouring tool 103 in FIG. 2 is held in place on thepivot arm; in FIG. 5, although the indexable contouring tool 501 isadjustable, it is held in place while in the engaged position; and inFIG. 7, although the contouring tool 704 is rotatable about its axis 96while in the engaged position, it is held in place with respect to thegrinding wheel axis 98.

The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the bestillustration of the principles of the invention and its practicalapplication to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to usethe invention in various embodiments and with various modifications asare suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modificationsand variations are within the scope of the invention as determined bythe appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth towhich they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.

1. A sharpening machine for a blade of an ice skate comprising, incombination: a skate holder which holds the blade in a releasably fixedposition; a rotatable grinding wheel having a periphery and rotatableabout a grinding wheel axis; and a contouring tool having a contoursurface, moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position,wherein in the engaged position the contouring tool is held in placewith respect to the grinding wheel axis, and the contour surface engagesthe rotating grinding wheel and grinds the periphery of the grindingwheel to define a grinding wheel contour; wherein the grinding wheelcontour grinds the blade to define a blade profile when the grindingwheel is rotating and the blade is held in the releasably fixedposition.
 2. The sharpening machine of claim 1 wherein the contoursurface is concave.
 3. The sharpening machine of claim 1 furthercomprising a pivot arm with the contouring tool mounted on the pivot armand moveable with the pivot arm between the engaged and the disengagedpositions.
 4. The sharpening machine of claim 3 wherein the contouringtool is adjustably mounted on the pivot arm.
 5. The sharpening machineof claim 1 wherein the contouring tool has a plurality of contour toolsurfaces.
 6. The sharpening machine of claim 5 wherein one of theplurality of contour tool surfaces engages the grinding wheel when thecontouring tool is in the engaged position.
 7. The sharpening machine ofclaim 1 wherein the grinding wheel contour grinds a profile on the bladeopposite the grinding wheel contour.
 8. The sharpening machine of claim1 wherein the contouring tool is rotatable about an axis parallel to thegrinding wheel axis.
 9. The sharpening machine of claim 1 furthercomprising a slide table with the contouring tool mounted on the slidetable and moveable with the slide table between the engaged and thedisengaged positions.
 10. The sharpening machine of claim 9 thecontouring tool is moved into contact with the grinding wheel with ahand operated lead screw.
 11. The sharpening machine of claim 1 whereinthe contouring tool is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to thegrinding wheel axis.
 12. A sharpening machine for a blade of an iceskate comprising, in combination: a skate holder which holds the bladein a releasably fixed position; a rotatable grinding wheel having aperiphery and rotatable about a grinding wheel axis; and a contouringtool having a contour surface with a width, moveable between an engagedposition and a disengaged position, wherein in the engaged position thecontour surface engages the rotating grinding wheel and grinds theperiphery of the grinding wheel to define a grinding wheel contourhaving a width; wherein the width of the contour surface is at leastequal to the width of the grinding wheel contour; and the grinding wheelcontour grinds a profile on the blade when the grinding wheel isrotating and the blade is held in the releasably fixed position.
 13. Thesharpening machine of claim 12 further comprising diamond chips in anelectroplated coating applied to the contour surface.